The present invention relates to a solar energy heater and more specifically to a solar heater for heating a fluid.
A considerable number of solar fluid heating devices presently exist. The existing devices are found to have various deficiencies preventing optimum conversion of solar energy to a useful level of heat energy.
W. J. Bailey in U.S. Pat. No. 966,070 teaches the construction of solar panels by attaching the fluid carrying conduit along substantially a single line of physical contact by means of soldering or the like. This single and narrow contact limits the heat transfer between the solar panel surface and the conduit. Further teachings provide forming the solar panels upward from the lower center line of the conduit. This "cuping" of the conduit within the solar panel limits the maximum solar exposure of the panel to a nearly direct perpendicular sun to panel positional relationship, thus, when the sun is off the perpendicular, the conduit will shield the panel from direct solar exposure.
The T. B. Modine U.S. Pat. No. 2,274,492 teaches connecting a flat panel to the conduit along a single narrow surface contact area leaving substantially all of the conduit free from solar panel contact and thus failing to heat its entire outer surface.
The S. Andrassy U.S. Pat. No. 3,039,453 teaches use of a plastic conduit enclosed in a channel in a flat metal panel. The patent fails to teach the necessity of a tight physical contact between the channels of the panel and the conduit or any means for maintaining a sufficient degree of pressure between the panel and the conduit.
These and various other problems were not satisfactorily resolved until the emergence of the instant invention.